True Colors

I'm not afraid of confrontation, although I don't go seeking it. I have never been timid to share my opinions or feelings. This may get me in trouble at times, but I believe that you should go through life showing your true colors, rather than being disingenuous.

On Sunday I was approached by a man who, around this small town, is known as a brash loud mouth. He is very involved in local sports and coaches hockey & baseball. Although he does a good job at this, many have been turned-off by his gruff demeanor. He can be overbearing and offensive.

He never addresses me by name, because I don't think he's taken the interest in knowing it. So he comes up to me and starts off by saying " I hear you've been running your trap about me at (the store) so if you have anything to say about me, say it to my face because my friend just about had you fired."

Ooooooh I'm scared, buddy. If I said anything about you it's that your coaching style makes those opposing you feel very small, very browbeaten and very sorry that we have to listen to you alienate the kids & coaches on the other team. There's a right way to motivate your team.

By the way, you must think it's okay for YOU to give ME attitude about your strike zone as an ump. How about the time you deliberately pulled up in your car to berate me when I was simply watching my son practice? Because you do this to my face with your bitter sarcasm, you feel you're justified because your cards are laid out on the table?

Think again. I will not be intimidated by you and will continue to call a spade a spade.

Step One: Staying Busy

As of Sunday, we started getting outside for some more fun & exploration. All of us went for a bike ride Sunday night, then on Monday I took the boys to Burlington to go for a hike. We also stopped by the beach where they frolicked in the water while I roamed the shoreline.

The summer plan is to ensure that we all stay active and off the couch. I put a daily agenda together for the boys, which includes reading after breakfast, then sending them outside to play while I get some chores done around the house. So far things have worked perfectly, but I'm probably going to go broke before too long. If we all benefit in the long run, it'll be worth it though.

Today I signed Birdie up at the gym for the Kids Summer Plyometrics & Weight Training Program. [Plyometrics is a type of strength training designed to produce fast, powerful movements, and improve the overall performance in a specific sport.] His doctor recommended that he drop about 20 pounds, especially if he wants to play football, so this was the inspiration. He'll also get better results for the other sports he plays, like baseball, soccer & skiing.

I tried to encourage him to do a summer weight loss challenge with me, but we couldn't agree on a tangible reward system. So I had to go in a different direction. He's excited about going to the gym and has agreed to make a commitment of 4 days/week in the program. I hoped to join alongside of him, but their free daycare isn't available during that time slot. So Nut & I will probably ride the bike path while Birdie does his thing.

Meanwhile, Friday we're going to sign up for the Summer Bowling Program, which the boys love. Plus it's cheap. Next week I've got more hiking & biking trips planned at Smuggs and around town.

So many adventures out there waiting for us to uncover... I just hope the weather cooperates!

A Tiny Spark of Inspiration

Sometime I look out and see nothing but the fog. Gray, dense & overwhelming. Other times there's a burst of color that explodes in my mind when I'm inspired. Like any good swift kick, all it takes to start the ball rolling is an "ah ha" moment.

As I said in my last post, I've been tinkering on Facebook. I've found some old friends from way back and it feels fabulous to rekindle these connections. There are many others who I have yet to find, but I'm sure that when the time is right, we'll come together.

Meanwhile, I've been doing some thinking lately about where I want to go, and how I want to lead my life. Now that I've got a 6th grader (a.k.a. "tween") in the house, I really have to buckle down and start dredging up some super-positive habits. I need to start changing things about me, or at least modifying things.

Hmmm... where do I start?

My self is the first thing on my makeover list. Got to start dusting off the fitness DVDs and sprucing up my eating habits. Now that it's summer (although you'd never guess it's summer if you live in VT where the sunshine has been nearly non-existent) I'm going to start enjoying the great outdoors with the boys; hiking, biking, swimming, walking, rollerblading, and exploring the sights. I'm even thinking about doing plyometrics at the gym with Birdie and taking a Zumba class.

My job is the next thing that I need to change. I really need to find something new, maybe inside a school or hospital so I can really make a difference. Meanwhile, I have to garner more knowledge in order to expand my horizons. I want to talk to an advisor at the community college and get a direction, although I'm leaning a bit toward health care.

Baby steps to a brighter future.

I'll need an angel to guide me and a drill sergeant to keep me in check. Any volunteers?

Summertime = vacationtime

Lately life has been flying by, mostly because we are all so devoted to baseball. Both of the boys played Little League and Hubby coached both teams. I sat on the bleachers, often between two different fields watching two different games. Then when they weren't both playing at Rotary Field, one of us was racing to another town for a game.

This year Birdie played 17 game while Nut played 14 (2 rainouts). Ironically of those 14 games, there were 10 conflicts with Birdie. A very hectic season indeed. But it hasn't ended yet, Birdie made the All Star team and has been practicing nearly every day. So that's why I haven't taken the time to be here...

I do love to write, but as I said in a recent post, the boys have been harassing me about how much time I spend online. You might think that I have earned my time away from the motherly grind, but I'm tired of listening to them kvetch. Maybe what they're really saying is "Mom we need you"...

I've had my nose in a few books between working and dabbling a bit on Facebook so that's why I haven't been journaling much here. Plus things at work have been very stressful. I'm thinking of taking some classes in the Fall; maybe taking some accounting or medical courses to further my employment horizons.

Meanwhile, I'm taking the time this summer to spend some quality time with the boys and take some much needed time off. TTFN